“Be Prepared” – Sunday Preview for December 10 by The Rev. Stephanie Kendell
(Konoko and Drue Kendell – my mom- 1989)
(Konoko y Drue Kendell – mi mamá – 1989)
I was shopping the other day in SoHo, exploring a part of New York that I hadn’t spent much time in, while trying to find something for my best friend for Christmas. I went into a small store and started to look around. I noticed a woman at the counter saying “go,” in an emphatic way to the stock person as she pointed to a book. I didn’t think much of it and continued to shop. Shortly after, I heard the stock person say, “Ma’am, I don’t know what you need,” as she continued to point to a book and say “go.” She then turned and spoke to her friend, and I realized as they had a private conversation. that she wasn’t saying “go” as in leave, she was saying “go” as in the Japanese word for 5 (五).
I saw another stack of the book she was holding and grabbed 4 more copies and handed them to the stock person. I said, “I think she wants 5 copies of the book,” turning to her with a questioning look. She nodded and smiled and took the books to the counter to pay.
I don’t speak Japanese. However, when I was about 4, we opened our home to several Japanese exchange students and my favorite student was, Konoko. Konoko taught me how to use chopsticks, introduced me to Hello Kitty, and taught me simple Japanese phrases. Being able to count to five was one of the things she taught me, and it has come in handy many times throughout my life. Konoko was just trying to teach a young English-speaking child a little about her culture and home, but what she gave me was so much more. She gave me the gift of community and connection. I was able to help the woman in the store because of Konoko. Teaching me was a gift far beyond the simple phrase, it was the gift of hospitality. And the gift of hospitality is all about being prepared. Prepared to share your gifts. Prepared to open yourself up. Prepared to journey with someone. Which is exactly what we are shown in the hospitality of the two baptisms in this week’s text.
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight” ’,
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’ (Mark 1:1-8 NRSV)
Like Konoko, John and Jesus give us two separate gifts but they both do the same thing, prepare us to journey with others. John teaches us the language but Jesus shows us how to use it with others. This faith life is all about how we use it. How we prepare ourselves to build the kin-dom on earth by interacting with those of us on this journey, and those we meet along the way.
Shalom Y’all.
Luego me fijé que había una pila del libro que ella tenía en la mano. Entonces agarré cuatro más y se los di a la empleada. Le comenté a esta, “creo que ella quiere cinco (5) copias del libro”, mientras miraba a la otra mujer con un rostro inquisitivo. Ella asintió, se sonrió, y llevó los libros al mostrador para pagar.
No hablo japonés. Sin embargo, cuando tenía cuatro (4) años, tuvimos varios estudiantes de Japón en intercambio. El nombre de mi estudiante favorita era Konoko. Konoko me enseñó como comer con palillos chinos, me presentó a Hello Kitty, y me enseñó frases sencillas en japonés. Con ella aprendí a contar hasta cinco y esto me ha resultado útil en mi vida. Konoko solo trataba de enseñarle a una niña anglo parlante un poco sobre su cultura y hogar, pero lo que recibí fue mucho más. Me dio el regalo de comunidad y conexión. Pude ayudar a una mujer en la tienda gracias a Konoko. Más allá de una frase sencilla, su enseñanza fue un regalo de hospitalidad. La hospitalidad es posible cuando se está preparada. Preparada para compartir los dones. Preparado para abrirse a nuevas posibilidades. Preparado para caminar con alguien lo que exactamente se muestra en los dos bautismos del texto bíblico de esta semana.
Comienzo del evangelio de Jesucristo, el Hijo de Dios.
Sucedió como está escrito en el profeta Isaías:
«Yo estoy por enviar a mi mensajero delante de ti,
el cual preparará tu camino».
«Voz de uno que grita en el desierto:
“Preparen el camino del Señor,
háganle sendas derechas”».
Así se presentó Juan, bautizando en el desierto y predicando el bautismo de arrepentimiento para el perdón de pecados. Toda la gente de la región de Judea y de la ciudad de Jerusalén acudía a él. Cuando confesaban sus pecados, él los bautizaba en el río Jordán. La ropa de Juan estaba hecha de pelo de camello. Llevaba puesto un cinturón de cuero, y comía langostas y miel silvestre. Predicaba de esta manera: «Después de mí viene uno más poderoso que yo; ni siquiera merezco agacharme para desatar la correa de sus sandalias. Yo los he bautizado a ustedes con agua, pero él los bautizará con el Espíritu Santo». (Mark 1:1-8 NVI)
Hermanas y hermanos, oremos para que durante este Adviento continuemos preparándonos para compartir nuestra fe de nuevas formas, ya que nunca sabemos el impacto que puede tener lo que compartimos con alguien. Además, nunca sabes cuándo nos vamos a encontrar a Jesús en la librería.
¡Paz mi gente!
Revda. Stephanie
* Translation by Rev. Jeanette Zaragoza / Traducido por la Rvda. Jeanette Zaragoza